Though taking the train in Europe has long been a favorite
way to travel, it has become increasingly popular in the U.S. Once considered
by many to be old-fashioned, train travel is becoming more appreciated for a
number of factors.
Trains are more cost effective than traveling by plane and
have become a preferred mode of transportation for eco-conscious and
experience-driven travelers. Add in the comfort, the ability to bring extra
baggage, the scenic views along the way, and the allure of nostalgia, and its
no wonder more Americans are opting to answer the call of “all aboard.”
Another joy of train travel is arriving in a charming town
that’s picturesque, easily walkable with plenty of attractions nearby. Here are
some places where you can do just that.
Ashland Train Station (Photo Credit: Visit Richmond)
Ashland, VA
The train literally runs through the heart of this 19th-century
downtown from the historic Ashland Train Station. Travelers can arrive car-free
on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional Line and step directly onto Center Street, lined
with early 20th-century buildings and home to shops, restaurants and
the Visitor Center located inside the 1920s-era station.
The train is central to Ashland’s charm, with highlights
like the Ashland Museum housed in a vintage red caboose, the Caboose Market
& Café with farm-to-table fare, and Tiny Tim’s Trains & Toys, a
favorite for rail enthusiasts. Visitors can also explore the McKinney Train
Mural, catch a show at the Ashland Theatre, or stroll this pedestrian-friendly
downtown that blends small-town serenity with vibrant cultural attractions.
Horsedrawn carriage in Durango, Colorado. (Photo via Visit Durango)
Durango, CO
Durango offers one of the most iconic scenic train rides in
the U.S. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a popular,
historic steam-powered journey through Colorado’s striking San Juan Mountains.
The downtown Durango historic district sports boutiques,
galleries, restaurants along with old, distinguished hotels. Durango is also
a convenient home base to explore world heritage cliff dwellings and
archeological sites. Hiking, biking, rafting, skiing, snowboarding and
snowshoeing are only a short distance away.
Train coming into Flagstaff, AZ (Photo Credit: Noreen Kompanik)
Flagstaff, AZ
Located in northern Arizona, Flagstaff sits at a 7,000-foot
elevation among scenic pine and aspen forests with the San Francisco peaks
nearby. Flagstaff Station serves Amtrak’s Southwest Chief line with
one train per direction each day, but those who stop off here are in for a real
treat.
The Tudor Revival depot built in 1925 also showcases a
Visitor Center, that’s a great starting point with maps, brochures, a gift shop
and helpful volunteers for answering questions about the town just steps from the depot, and other parks, monuments, museums and adventures. The station also has
a fascinating train set that rides the upper perimeter of the venue.
Within easy walking distance, Downtown Flagstaff sports
bygone buildings, art galleries, restaurants, craft breweries, a renowned
hotel, historic theater and art walks.
Hattiesburg Train Depot (Photo Credit: Madden Media)
Hattiesburg, MS
Hattiesburg is appropriately named the “Hub City” because of
all the transportation lines running through the town. At the heart of
downtown, Hattiesburg Depot stands as an icon on Newman Street in the city’s
oldest historic district.
Dating back to 1910, the Depot is an impressive black
structure designed in Italian Renaissance style and capped with a clay-tile
roof. Its 14,000 square-foot interior, 3-block long loading platform and
924-foot-long canopy made it the largest and most architecturally significant
passenger depot in the city. In 2000, the station underwent a $10 million
restoration and improvement project giving way to the structure that stands
today.
The depot is the perfect jumping off point to explore the
quaint, southern charm of Hattiesburg’s downtown, from local shops and artisans
to independent eateries.
Central Station Hotel Memphis (Photo Credit: Tennessee Tourism)
Memphis, TN
The Central Station, located in the South Main Historic Arts
District is within walking distance to restaurants, shops, attractions, museums
and the Main Street Trolley. Also referred to as Grand Central Station, the
building has stood watch over downtown Memphis for over 100 years and now
operates as an Amtrak station.
The lobby features a 30-foot record wall with Eggleston
speakers and a 500-album vinyl record collection. Curated play lists and live
music make the venue a “go-to” for any night of the week and the Central
Station Hotel on property reflects 20th century charm with views of
the historic South Main neighborhood and the Mississippi River.
New Hope, PA
Train aficionados can begin their enchanting New Hope
Railroad train journey in this charming but quirky Bucks County village known
for its vibrant art scene, boutique shops and delightful culinary offerings.
Located on the Delaware River, it offers a walkable bridge to Lambertville, New
Jersey with peaceful, picturesque, wooded backdrops.
A train station’s name couldn’t get any cuter or more
creative than the “1891 Witch’s Train Hat Station” with its conical-shaped
turreted roof that resembles a witch’s hat.
1891 New Hope Witch’s Hat Train Station (Photo via Noreen Kompanik)
San Juan Capistrano, CA
This historic train station opened in 1894 and still
services Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner. The building is an early example of Mission Revival architecture in Southern California with its red tile roof,
covered walkways and a corner domed tower, echoing the nearby picturesque
Mission San Juan Capistrano, home to the yearly renowned Swallows Migration.
The train depot is situated in the historic section of San Juan
Capistrano, a quaint area with easy walkability that includes The Los Rios
District, one of California’s oldest residential neighborhoods with charming
adobe structures, cottages, eateries, tea rooms and tree-lined streets.
Santa Fe Depot,
San Diego, CA
Opened in 1915, the Spanish Colonial Revival/Mission Revival
Santa Fe Depot is located in the core downtown district of San Diego. With
touches of Spanish Renaissance and Moorish influence, the unique station listed
on the National Register of Historic Places features twin domed towers flanking
a grand arch covered by colorful tiles.
The depot was built in time for the Panama-California
Exposition in 1915-1916 as a welcoming gateway to those attending the
world-renowned event. Due to it its ideal location, visitors can stroll to the
stunning Waterfront Park & Embarcadero, home to historic ships, the start
of India, USS Midway Museum, the charming Seaport Village, Little Italy and the
historic Gaslamp Quarter.
More than 20 buildings in Skagway are part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. (Photo Credit: Reinhard Pantke)
Skagway, Alaska
The narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route in Skagway
offers jaw-dropping rides that include steep grades, waterfalls, gorges and
snow-capped mountains along the historic Klondike Gold Rush Trail.
Situated in the southeastern part of Alaska, Skagway became
famous during the Klondike Gold Rush as gold-seekers passed through the town on
their way to the Yukon. Today, wooden boardwalks, old-style facades, saloons
and quaint shops reflect its late 19th-century history.
Union Station Denver, CO
Denver Union Station is a historic landmark, opened in 1881,
rebuilt in 1914, and reimagined in 2014. The Beaux-Arts/Classical Revival with
touches of Romanesque Revival train station is located in downtown Denver.
A renovation 100 years later preserved historic elements
such as the train station’s Great Hall and facades along with the boutique
Crawford Hotel located within the station itself. The venue’s location in
Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo) neighborhood makes it easy to explore the 16th
Street Mall, Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, and a myriad of
restaurants, bars, galleries, live music, special events and exciting
nightlife.
Denver’s Union Station (Photo by Noreen Kompanik)
Williams, Arizona
Serving as a gateway to the Grand Canyon, Williams boasts a
historic downtown lined with early 20th-century buildings that
served passengers and railway workers. Today, visitors can hop a vintage train
at the station that takes riders to the national park’s South Rim.
With its Route 66 heritage, preserved structures and neon
signs representing classic Americana, Williams offers a romantic small-town
ambience in a six-block historic area that’s easily walkable and filled with
retro-diners and motels and vintage charm.
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